Maintenance work to clear sediment and debris caught in the channels of Lake Thoreau could be complete this month.
Lake dredging began in early April and was delayed after a recent failure of dredging equipment. Reston Association anticipates the part that malfunctioned will be delivered and installed soon. Once the cove is dredged, RA’s contractor, Lake Services, Inc., will clean up the staging area next to the Lake Thoreau dam.
Dredging helps maintain the depth of channels and reduces the exposure of fish, wildlife and people to contaminants, according to the National Ocean Service.
RA expects to remove about 848,290 liquid gallons or 4,200 cubic yards worth of material. The project was initially expected to be complete by the end of June.
Photo by vantagehill
Behind the video — In this follow-up story, the man who recorded a video of a former Reston Association employee yelling racial slurs tells his side of the story. [WJLA]
Heat advisory continues today — The National Weather Service has issued an advisory from noon to 8 p.m. today. Residents are encouraged to limit outdoor activity, wear loose-fitting clothing and hydrate as much as possible. [National Weather Service]
It’s not too late — Slots in select Frying Pan Farm Park camps are still open. The park offers camps for children between the ages of 3 and 14. [Frying Pan Farm Park]
Nearby: funding for transportation — Fairfax County projects will get more than 40 percent of the more than $1 billion allocated for regional transportation projects. Several proposals for Reston projects didn’t make the cut. [Fairfax County Times]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
A 37-second video of a former Reston Association employee yelling “Why are you such a b**** Afghanistan?” and other profanities at a driver is gaining traction online. The man was described as a seasonal employee who worked with RA from March through August 2015.
“You’re a BITCH AFGHANISTAN!”
RT and Fav in hopes that his job sees this @RestonOnline pic.twitter.com/mFFh88n3uf
— 👨🏻💻 (@EatMyKabobs) July 1, 2018
During the exchange, the man repeated yells profanities and tells the driver “you’re a b**** Afghanistan.” The driver responds by asking “What’s your problem?” and clarifies he was born in this country. The driver also responded with expletives.
The man with the RA T-shirt also says, “It’s a good thing you got that to protect you.” The circumstances of the incident are unclear. Towards the end of the video, the man appears to return to his car.
The individual who posted the original video on Facebook and the individual who tweeted the video did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reston Now.
RA’s Acting CEO Larry Butler issued the following statement today:
Reston Association became aware of a video posted on social media today that shows a former RA seasonal employee making inappropriate comments to a man seated in a vehicle. The association strongly condemns the remarks made by the former employee, who briefly worked at RA from March-August 2015.
As an organization founded on Robert E. Simon Jr.’s vision of a community that embraces diversity, RA rejects comments or actions that display intolerance. RA members and staff support the core values upon which our community was founded. As an organization, we strive to meet the unwavering standards of our members and remain the respectful and welcoming community that was founded over 50 years ago.
Amid concerns about a proposal to increase Reston’s population density in the Planned Residential Community district, the county is kicking off a series of work sessions with stakeholders this month.
The meetings will address four areas of concern highlighted by Reston Association and the Coalition for a Planned Reston, a grassroots umbrella organization. The concerns were voiced and rebuffed in letters to the Fairfax County’s Department of Planning and Zoning earlier this year.
The schedule for the work sessions, which each focus on one subject area, is below. Each session will be held at 6 p.m.:
- July 17 (Transportation): 12005 Sunrise Valley Drive
- July 18 (Parks and Recreation): 12005 Sunrise Valley Drive
- July 24 (Schools, Infrastructure, Fire and Rescue): 12001 Sunrise Valley Drive
- July 30 (Planning): 12001 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston Association’s Board of Directors elected Andy Sigle to the position of board president Thursday night.
Over the next year, Sigle said he hopes to ensure a new CEO and CFO are hired promptly, fine-tune RA’s biannual budget, facilitate the passage of policies regarding ethics and conflicts of interest, and work with the community to ensure land use changes, particularly in the Planned Residential Community district, are implemented in a thoughtful and strategic manner.
Sigle was elected to the board earlier this year and previously served on the board between 2011 and 2014. David Bobzien, the former board president, resigned last month due to a leukemia diagnosis.
In opening remarks, Sigle also said he is committed to enhancing communication between RA staff and the board. He also hopes to ensure information is readily available so the board can make informed decisions.
Sridhar Ganesan, the board’s interim president, failed to gain enough votes to maintain the position. Board members cast private ballots and the number of votes garnered by each candidate was not made public at the meeting.
The vote follows a spirited debate during last month’s board meeting when board members failed to make a decision on the next board president. In his opening remarks, Ganesan also noted that transformational change was required to bring about a more “harmonious” tone to board meetings whilst preserving opportunities for vigorous debate.
Photo by Reston Association
Reston Association’s Board of Directors will consider recommendations to make the process of the Design Review Board more efficient at a meeting tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. in RA headquarters.
The board will also elect a board president and welcome Catherine Baum, the new apartment owners’ board representative, to the governing body.
According to RA, the volume of applications received by the DRB and staff cannot be processed with current staff resources unless the process is streamlined. The DRB is an independent unit responsible for reviewing exterior improvements of properties within RA.
Under the recommendations, approvals for more “ordinary” applications, which could include signs, storm windows, utility boxes and roofing, would be reviewed by staff.
Some cluster standards applications would be reviewed by a panel of consultations instead of selected members of the DRB. This change would open up the panel’s agenda by 30 percent, according to RA. The DRB would meet monthly to review standard cluster applications with two members of the DRB.
The changes would also increase the DRB application fee for development and redevelopment of sites from $1,350 to $2,250.
The meeting will be live streamed tomorrow. The complete agenda is available online.
Apartment owners have selected Catherine Baum to fill the vacant Apartment Owners’ Representative seat on Reston Association’s Board of Directors.
The position was vacated in April when David Bobzien, also board president, resigned after being diagnosed with leukemia.
Baum, who has lived in Reston since 1975, will serve as a director until April 2019. The following description of Baum was issued in an RA press release today:
She has held several senior level positions with the country’s top homebuilders throughout her professional career. She is also a graduate of Leadership Fairfax, Inc., and is a past president of the Reston Chamber of Commerce.
Baum will officially join the board at its meeting on June 28.
Cloud nine — “The cerebral and absorbing artworks of Mike Cloud, on view at the Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE) through July 7, have a myriad of entry points. It all depends on what viewers bring to bear and how deep they are willing to go.” [Fairfax County Times]
Zip trip — On Friday, FOX 5 DC staff broadcast their live morning show from Reston Town Center. Reston was described as an asset to the Northern Virginia community known for its forward-thinking community and contemporary design. [FOX 5 DC]
Open house at the Lake House — This Thursday, the Lake House will hold an open house. Light refreshments will be sponsored by Pure Perfection Catering. [Reston Association]
Photo by Emily Cox
For the second year, homemade cardboard boats will compete in the popular regatta at Lake Anne. All proceeds from the event on August 11 will go toward the Reston Historic Trust & Museum.
Participating teams of all ages will construct and decorate a life-size cardboard boat, which will compete in timed heats. Team members will row to a designated buoy and back to the docks.
Last year, 20 teams and more than 65 individuals participated in the event. The event is presented by the museum and the lead sponsor is Griffin-Owens Insurance. Other sponsors include Reston Association and Aperture.
Registration for the event is not open yet. During last year’s regatta, 30 preregistration slots were filled for this year’s event. A waiting list with 20 additional slots is available online. Registration will be opened to the public when the number of maximum competing teams is determined by organizers.
More information about the event is available online.
Image via Nova Labs/Facebook
A series of citations about the design and maintenance of homes in the Birchfield Woods Cluster, a townhouse community built in the late 1980s, has some residents concerned.
Residents say the citations are inconsistent with past inspections and were implemented in a confusing manner, especially given some homes were cited for issues and others were not. One citation concerns changing a backdoor that has been on the property for 25 years.
The inspection of Birchfield properties and common areas was conducted by Reston Association on May 4. Residents were notified of the inspection on March 5 and given 90 days to address violations.
Shellon Copeland, a cluster resident, said the financial burden of correcting citations on the single parent’s home on Poplar Grove Drive is concerning and that requests for deadline extensions have not been met.
“It’s not just the financial part,” Copeland said, “It’s the added time and stress [from[ getting estimates from reputable roofers, etc.”
Joanna Simon, a Reston resident since 1971, said she was concerned RA’s Design Review Board “overstepped the bounds.”
“The process is confusing, take[s] time, [and] requires photo and other technology skills unavailable to some of Reston’s residents,” said Simon, who is also on the cluster’s board and was speaking as a resident only. She was cited for having a dark brown finish on her deck and installing a new light fixture.
The cluster board was also cited for mailboxes that are not approved and old signage at the entrance of the cluster. Residents said most homes in the community were given at least one citation.
At the request of residents, a meeting at Armstrong Elementary School with the cluster board was held on June 18. Residents have requested extensions to correct citations, which must be corrected by August 24.
Mike Leone, RA’s director of communications and community engagement, said RA’s advisors are working with homeowners to get violations fixed.
“Homeowners will not get escalated to RA’s Covenants Committee if they are showing progress in fixing violations,” Leone wrote in a statement.
The walkthrough request was made by Birchfield Cluster Board President Marcelo Borda. Inspections are intended to ensure properties are kept in good order and repair in order to ensure the appearance is consistent with RA’s design guidelines and in conformity with nearby properties.
Residents said they were irked the cluster board was not involved in the decision to conduct inspections.
Borda said concerns will be discussed with an RA representative. A response about why the inspections were requested and how the board is working with the community to address concerns was not immediately provided.
Inspections occur “no more than once every five years, or as time and resources permit,” Leone wrote.
Photos by Shellon Copeland
The first annual Reston Youth Splash and Dash will offer kids between the ages of 6 and 15 an introduction to a triathlon with a combination of swimming and running.
The event, presented by CORE Foundation in cooperation with the Reston Association, will take place on August 26 (Saturday) at 8:30 p.m. in the Lake Audubon Pool.
Organizers indicated the purpose of the event is participation rather than competition. An “aquathlon” combines running and swimming.
Participants will receive a goody bag and medals. Snow cones will be provided by Kona Ice. All proceeds from the event will benefit “Kids Helping Kids,” a program that creates opportunities for low-income youth to participate in triathlons. Participants will determine how to fundraise, whether through a personal fundraising company and by creating a lemonade stand.
Children who are five years old will participate in a 50-meter swim and a 1k run. Participants between the age of 6 and 10 will take part in a 100-meter swim and a 1k run while participants between the age of 11 and 15 will take part in the 200-meter swim and 2k run.
Registration is open online.
Photo via USA Triathlon
A Reston Association working group created to analyze rules governing lakes, docks and boats kicked off it meetings on June 13 (Wednesday).
RA’s board of directors formed the group on March 22 in response to residents’ concerns about outdated boating policies, enforcement issues and overall usage of local lakes. The group will provide recommendations to the board in November.
During the first meeting, members received information on Reston’s lakes, as well as the type and number of boats and docks currently allowed.
The group’s objectives include identification of the environmental impact of docks and boats, a review of current rules and policies and whether or not rules infringe on lakeside property owners’ use of their properties.
The presentation given to the working group is linked here.
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
Day camps at Reston Association — Slots are available for RA’s day camps, which are offered in three sessions. The camp is geared toward children between the ages of 7 and 11. [Reston Association]
Tonight: Fun around town with community fitness — Celebrate the beginning of summer with a free community fitness activity tonight at Stonegate Community Center from 5:30-6:30 p.m. [Reston Community Center]
Summerbration with King Teddy — Enjoy a concert at the Reston Station Plaza featuring swing music by King Teddy tonight from 7-9 p.m. Swing dangers will offer free instruction. [Reston Community Center]
Happening nearby: sex education policy — “Parents are protesting a proposed new sex education policy in Fairfax County. Those opposed to it say the new curriculum would promote transgender issues and encourage the use of contraceptives instead of abstinence.” [FOX 5 DC]
Photo by Ruth Sievers
Reston’s 18th annual Multicultural Festival is set for Sept. 22 (Saturday) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Lake Anne Plaza.
The annual event aims to bring together Restonians in order to celebrate community and culture. The festival will include music, entertainment, dress, food and cultural gems from around the world.
Attendees are encouraged to dress in their cultural attire. The festival also includes a naturalization ceremony, arts and crafts, food and family activities.
RCC is seeking applications for arts vendors by July 6, food vendors by July 13, and community organizations by July 20.
The event is presented by Reston Community Center, hosted by Lake Anne Plaza and co-sponsored by the Reston Association, along with other Reston organizations and businesses.
Photo via Reston Community Center
Cast your vote — Primary elections in Virginia and Fairfax County are today. The county’s 243 precincts will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters are encouraged to cast their ballot before or after school hours, if possible, as schools are still in session. [Fairfax County Government]
Junior day camp — School is almost out and Reston Association is offering four-week camps this summer for kids between the ages of 5 and 7. Several sessions for the Junior Day Camp are open. [Reston Association]
Settling a new score — ComScore, Inc, an audience measurement company that faced recent leadership challenges and investigations, is now under the leadership of Bryan Wiener. The new CEO lays out strategies for the coming year. [Washington Business Journal]
Family history research this afternoon — Research your family history with a library staff member using local history and genealogy resources. The event is geared towards adults and teenagers. [Reston Regional Library]
Photo by Wade Gilley, Sr.
